Talking Points....
Connect Fellowship 5/27/2025
This week’s group discussion will focus on Pastor Doug’s sermon titled, “How to Rally in a Valley.”
I. How to rally in a valley
A. The dry bones live.
1. Ezekiel 37:1-10 - The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
2. Share a time in your life when you needed to speak life over a dead area and how it worked out.
B. One of the biggest misconceptions Christians often face, is that once we become a Christian, there is an expectation that we will no longer have any valley seasons in our lives.
1. Why is having this attitude not just wrong, but also detrimental to our relationship with Jesus?
C. It is in a valley where our greatest impact occurs. This is where our faith has grown and stretched.
1. Why do you think our faith is grown and stretched to the extent it is when we are in a valley?
D. We need to believe that God is with us in a valley.
1. How does knowing that God is with us in a valley, help you in times of trouble?
E. God knows where to find us even when we are in obscurity.
1. Psalm 139:7 - Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
2. Share a time when God found you when you were in obscurity.
F. Believe that there is potential in the valley, even when it looks like there is no potential.
1. Why is there so much potential in the valley?
G. When you are in a valley, it is easy to look around and see everything that is not right.
1. The same ability to look around and see everything that is wrong, is the same ability to look around and see everything that is right.
2. How can we change our focus from the negative things to the positive things in our lives and others?
H. Anytime God asks a question, it isn’t because He doesn’t know the answer. He is trying to reveal something to us so that we can see what He sees.
1. Has God ever asked you a question so that He can reveal something to you?
I. Believe that you can prophesy in the valley.
1. What are things that we can do to build our faith to the point that we can prophesy while in the valley?
J. Sometimes we need to learn to be okay with bringing God our not enough. We need to not wait until we feel that everything is enough before stepping out to do something.
1. How can feeling this way keep us from the potential that He has for us?
K. Your tongue is the pen that will write your next chapter. Change what you are saying about your season.
1. Psalm 45:1 - My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2. Revelations 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
3. What are things that we should be saying while in the valley?
L. Reflection time.
1. What has God put on your heart regarding this message, “How to Rally in the Valley?”
This week’s group discussion will focus on Pastor Doug’s sermon titled, “How to Rally in a Valley.”
I. How to rally in a valley
A. The dry bones live.
1. Ezekiel 37:1-10 - The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ’ ” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
2. Share a time in your life when you needed to speak life over a dead area and how it worked out.
B. One of the biggest misconceptions Christians often face, is that once we become a Christian, there is an expectation that we will no longer have any valley seasons in our lives.
1. Why is having this attitude not just wrong, but also detrimental to our relationship with Jesus?
C. It is in a valley where our greatest impact occurs. This is where our faith has grown and stretched.
1. Why do you think our faith is grown and stretched to the extent it is when we are in a valley?
D. We need to believe that God is with us in a valley.
1. How does knowing that God is with us in a valley, help you in times of trouble?
E. God knows where to find us even when we are in obscurity.
1. Psalm 139:7 - Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
2. Share a time when God found you when you were in obscurity.
F. Believe that there is potential in the valley, even when it looks like there is no potential.
1. Why is there so much potential in the valley?
G. When you are in a valley, it is easy to look around and see everything that is not right.
1. The same ability to look around and see everything that is wrong, is the same ability to look around and see everything that is right.
2. How can we change our focus from the negative things to the positive things in our lives and others?
H. Anytime God asks a question, it isn’t because He doesn’t know the answer. He is trying to reveal something to us so that we can see what He sees.
1. Has God ever asked you a question so that He can reveal something to you?
I. Believe that you can prophesy in the valley.
1. What are things that we can do to build our faith to the point that we can prophesy while in the valley?
J. Sometimes we need to learn to be okay with bringing God our not enough. We need to not wait until we feel that everything is enough before stepping out to do something.
1. How can feeling this way keep us from the potential that He has for us?
K. Your tongue is the pen that will write your next chapter. Change what you are saying about your season.
1. Psalm 45:1 - My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2. Revelations 12:11 - And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
3. What are things that we should be saying while in the valley?
L. Reflection time.
1. What has God put on your heart regarding this message, “How to Rally in the Valley?”